You order a movie online and additional suggestions pop up, based on a deep knowledge of your likes and dislikes. You plan a vacation and similar suggestions appear, reflecting your financial state, the climate in which you live (and may hope to escape for a time), and past travel history. These convenient, personalized interactions are common today — and even expected.

Yet according to a Cisco survey of 7,200 retail banking consumers in 12 countries, customer expectations for financial services are not being met. Many of the most valued customers — and not just tech-savvy Gen Y ones — feel disconnected from their financial services institutions. They state that their banks do not know them personally, and are providing advice only on the bank’s terms — in the branch, during banking hours, when staff is available, — if at all. Read More »

It’s that time of year again! On November 12-14, the Cisco Financial Services team will be attending BAI Retail Delivery 2014. This year, we’ll be showcasing exciting solutions for the Digital Bank — innovations that provide seamless, cross-channel engagement and meet escalating consumer demands while reducing operating costs, and increasing sales within your institution.

Cisco financial services solutions help customers connect with their customers and deliver a personalized banking experience and gain a sustainable competitive advantage in the Internet of Everything age. In partnership with Verizon, NCR and Intel, Cisco will showcase our solutions portfolio that enables new delivery models and applications whether at home, in the branch, or on the road, to support Omnichannel customer experiences and grow your business.

TheInnovation Showcase competition will give attendees a closer look at our enhanced Cisco Remote Expert Mobile solution with a new aspect that delivers an engaging, personalized onboarding experience. Led by Karl Hartmann, banking practice architect for Americas Business Transformation, we’ll demonstrate how to connect seamlessly with your customers on their preferred channels, to start strong and build more profitable relationships.

During the “Creating a More Efficient Omnichannel Delivery Blueprint” panel session, Jim Henschel, banking practice manager for Americas Business Transformation, will share insights into why finding opportunities to drive efficiencies in distribution networks has never been more critical. The panel will also provide insights on how to manage margins and expenses while planning for innovative technologies that can maximize omnichannel performance. Make sure to read Jim’s recent “Branch of the Future – Network Innovations” article before the show.

Al Slamecka, banking practice advisor for Americas Business Transformation, will be taking part in the “Driving Efficiency in Your Distribution Network” panel session, wherehe will lead a discussion regarding strategies for making balanced choices amongst today’s evolving communications and delivery channels.

This year’s event takes place in Chicago, IL at the McCormick Place West Building. For more information about registering for BAI Retail Delivery 2014, visit the registration page here. We hope to see you there!

In my last blog, I continued the discussion about the 24-hour bank and how banks must transition from the physical business model to the digital business model. As part of my series on the 24-hour bank, this post builds on the question of how banks could begin to develop the capabilities, enabled by technology, to address the operational and logistical challenges inherent in operating in a customer-driven 24-hour world.

First are the factors that shape our existing banking distribution model: the traditional route to market and how clients connect and interact with their bank. Starting with branches, the traditional distribution model has evolved with the development of technologies such as the telephone, ATM’s, and the Internet. While these technologies provided increased options for clients to interact and transact, they were still affected by constraints of the existing operating model– the availability of bank staff with the requisite skills.

How so? Contact centers, telephone, and online banking required a shift in staffing models to enable customers to interact and transact outside of the normal work day. ATM’s began to allow customer self-service for certain basic transactions at any time of day. Collectively, these technologies extended operating hours for clients, but services were limited due the fact that the expertise required for more complex services were still unavailable outside the traditional workday. Read More »

Solution architectures are typically derived from open-ended questions designed to discover customer needs. However, Cisco approaches customers with insights-based assertions that rest on the belief that true innovation emerges from disruptive ideas that make customers aware of unknown needs.

According to Gartner’s report “Agenda Overview for P&C and Life insurance 2014,” three concerns for change stand out for insurance companies – profitability and business growth, cost savings, and customer centricity. The study further indicates insurance executives struggle to maintain legacy products while simultaneously addressing concerns and uncertainties of innovation. Read More »

At Cisco Live, Hans Hwang, VP of Cisco Advanced Services spoke with Todd Walthall, Vice President, Digital Servicing Integration from American Express about how they are taking their customer service to the next level. By partnering with Cisco, American Express is piloting video chat capabilities in their American Express iPad application. With a push of a video icon button on an iPad, a video window appears, and a customer connects directly to a customer service representative to receive concierge service.

Seeing this demo reminded me of a recent session I had the opportunity to attend where Rob Honts from Accenture presented on customer retention and loyalty, which is part of their annual Global Consumer Pulse Research survey. One of the key findings that Rob highlighted from the survey is that the number one reason customers stay with and switch their service provider is due to customer service. Not convenience. Not product. Dare, I say it? Not brand. But customer service. Read More »

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